Prosper Portland

What Prosper Portland does

Prosper Portland is the economic and urban development agency for the City of Portland, Oregon, established by City Charter in 1958 as the Portland Development Commission (PDC) and rebranded to Prosper Portland around 2015. It operates as a quasi-independent department of the City of Portland, governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners appointed by the mayor and approved by City Council, with an Executive Director reporting to the board. Headquartered at 220 NW Second Ave, Suite 200 in Portland's Old Town/Chinatown district, the agency employs approximately 100 staff.

The agency delivers a portfolio of programs across lending, grants, technical assistance, and community economic development. Core offerings include commercial property loans and small business loans with flexible underwriting, multiple grant programs (Repair/Restore, Affordable Commercial Tenanting, Reimagine Oregon Economic Opportunity Investment Fund, Building Energy Efficiency, Lloyd-Holladay Relocation, Scale Up, and Post-Production grants), and wraparound business support through the Office of Small Business and the Inclusive Business Resource Network, which serves 600+ businesses annually via 12+ community partner organizations. Specialized programs include the Neighborhood Prosperity Network, the Office to Residential Conversion Program, the Green Construction Contractor Development Program, the Portland Events & Film Office, and Growth Industries initiatives in Athletic & Outdoor, Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Green Cities, and Technology & Media.

Prosper Portland is funded through tax increment financing (TIF) debt proceeds from 15+ urban renewal districts, City of Portland General Fund allocations, federal and other grants, program income from lending and asset management, and contracts for services. Six new TIF districts were approved in October 2024 (three in Central City, three in East Portland), with a City Council policy requiring at least 45% of TIF resources to flow to Portland Housing Bureau for affordable housing. The agency's technology footprint is limited to a Microsoft PowerApps-based Vendor Portal and a JotForm payment system; pricing of services is effectively zero to recipients (grants, advisory, technical assistance) or structured as flexible-underwriting loans, with no disclosed revenue figures because it is a public agency.

Name

Prosper Portland

Legal name

Prosper Portland

Website

https://prosperportland.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Prosper Portland is the City of Portland's economic and urban development agency, delivering loans, grants, technical assistance, and community-based programs to small businesses, nonprofits, property owners, and neighborhood districts across 15+ tax increment financing areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development Services

NAICS

All Other Business Support Services (561499), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Business Services (7380), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Entrepreneurship & Small Business Workforce Programs (EDAAAOAM), Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK)

Keywords

• Economic development agency
• Urban renewal programs
• Small business lending
• Tax increment financing
• Community development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tax Increment Financing (TIF): Prosper Portland's primary source of funding for projects and programs are debt proceeds generated through the use of tax increment financing. TIF leverages public resources through property tax revenue growth for re-investment in the community to benefit residents and businesses within designated urban renewal areas.
2. City of Portland General Fund: City of Portland General Fund allocations provide operating support for economic development programs and services.
3. Federal and Other Grants: Federal grants and other grant funding support specific programs and initiatives.
4. Program Income and Lending: Program income earned on asset management and lending agreements generate revenue for reinvestment.
5. Contracts for Services: Contracts for services provide additional funding for specific initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prosper Portland provides loans, grants, and technical assistance to small businesses, commercial property owners, nonprofits, and community organizations across Portland. Its offerings include commercial property and small business loans with flexible underwriting, multiple grant programs for small businesses and property owners, the Office of Small Business as a single point of entry, and specialized programs such as the Inclusive Business Resource Network, Office to Residential Conversion, and the Green Construction Contractor Development Program.

Product overview

Prosper Portland is the economic and urban development agency for the City of Portland, offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The core offerings include various grant programs (such as the Lloyd-Holladay Relocation Grant, Repair/Restore Grants, Affordable Commercial Tenanting Grant, Community Livability Grant, Reimagine Oregon Economic Opportunity Investment Fund Grant, Building Energy Efficiency Grant, and Prosperity Investment Program), commercial property and small business loans with flexible underwriting, and technical assistance through the Office of Small Business and the Inclusive Business Resource Network. Additional specialized programs include Office to Residential Conversion, the Green Construction Contractor Development Program (with PCEF funding), the Neighborhood Prosperity Network, and the Portland Events & Film Office. Supporting platforms include a Vendor Portal and online payment systems. The agency also focuses on Growth Industries including Athletic & Outdoor, Food & Beverage Manufacturing, Green Cities, and Technology & Media sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grants Program Offers various grants supporting small businesses, non-profits, community organizations, commercial tenants and property owners, and event and film production, including matching funds grants, physical improvements/repairs grants, and job training grants.
• Commercial Property Loans

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,800 affordable units created through bonds
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Travel PortlandcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 June 2026Prosper Portland's Events & Film Office partners with Travel Portland on Scale Up Grant and Post-Production Grant programs to support local events and filmmakers. The partnership leverages Travel Portland's tourism marketing expertise to help awardees grow into destination events that attract visitors to Portland.
• Williams & Russell Community Development CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Partnered with Adre to develop the Williams & Russell affordable homeownership project. The CDC leads development efforts to rebuild a historically Black community displaced by eminent domain in the 1970s, with 24 dwelling units on a 2.99-acre site.
• AdremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Partnered with Williams & Russell CDC on the $16.4 million affordable homeownership project targeting 40% BIPOC-owned, Women-owned, and Emerging Small Business participation.
• ECOnorthwestsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 8 October 2025Led the 2023 Office to Residential Conversion Feasibility Study, conducting market research and pro forma analysis for office-to-residential conversion pilot projects.
• GenslersupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 8 October 2025Produced test fits for buildings as part of the Office to Residential Conversion Feasibility Study to evaluate conversion potential.
• Earth AdvantagesupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides Residential BPI (Building Performance Institute) Certification trainings as part of the Green Construction Contractor Development Program.
• EnerCity CollaborativesupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartners with Prosper Portland to provide Residential BPI Certification trainings in the Green Construction Contractor Development Program.
• ecoREAL SolutionssupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides Commercial LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification trainings as part of the Green Construction Contractor Development Program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NYC Economic Development Corporation: Municipal economic development corporation for New York City delivering loans, grants, and real estate development programs citywide — structurally analogous to Prosper Portland, operating as a charter-empowered agency funding business and neighborhood development.
• Chicago Department of Planning and Development: City of Chicago's planning and economic development department administering TIF districts, small business programs, and affordable housing financing — directly comparable in mission, TIF-based funding model, and municipal scope.
• San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development: San Francisco's municipal economic development agency delivering small business support, workforce programs, and inclusive economic growth initiatives — same mission profile, similar West Coast urban economy context.
• Seattle Office of Economic Development: City of Seattle's economic development agency providing grants, loans, and technical assistance to small businesses and community-based organizations — peer Pacific Northwest municipal agency with comparable small business and equitable growth focus.
• Los Angeles Economic & Workforce Development Department: City of LA's economic and workforce development department administering business assistance, job training, and neighborhood investment programs at citywide scale — comparable municipal agency with similar portfolio breadth.
• Boston Planning & Development Agency: Boston's planning and urban development agency overseeing district redevelopment, small business support, and inclusive economic planning — analogous public-sector planning and economic development role in a major U.S. city.
• Craft3: Pacific Northwest nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing flexible business loans to underserved entrepreneurs — explicitly referenced in Prosper Portland's data as a prior employer of OSB liaison Jon Bebe and a complementary lending partner in the region.
• Denver Economic Development & Opportunity: Denver's municipal economic development office providing small business lending, grants, and neighborhood revitalization programs — directly comparable city economic development agency structure and programmatic portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National nonprofit CDFI providing loans, grants, and equity investments for affordable housing and economic development in distressed communities — operates at a broader national scale but addresses the same mission of equitable urban economic development.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit delivering affordable housing financing, community development capital, and policy advocacy — comparable mission in affordable housing and equitable economic development, but operates across many markets rather than concentrating in one city.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/pdxdevelopmentcomm
• Facebookfacebook.com/prosperportland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prosperportland
• Instagraminstagram.com/prosperportland
• Xx.com/prosperportland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prosper Portland